Remember those childhood sick days when you stayed home from school and watched The Price is Right? It was always surprising to see the “actual retail price” revealed. That sense of shock feels similar to what Arizona taxpayers are experiencing with the state’s education savings account program, commonly referred to as school vouchers.
The program was initially introduced with a projected cost of $33 million. However, in just two years, the actual expense has skyrocketed to $800 million—and it’s still growing. This 323% increase has left many questioning the program’s sustainability and fairness.
Who Benefits from Arizona’s School Vouchers?
As of September 2024, a staggering 69% of voucher recipients were already enrolled in private schools before the program began. Families who could afford private school tuition are now being reimbursed with taxpayer dollars, effectively creating a financial burden for other Arizonans.
What’s more, research has revealed that the wealthiest neighborhoods in the Phoenix metro area receive the lion’s share of funding from the voucher program. Meanwhile, rural communities across Arizona, which often face greater educational challenges, are left to pick up the tab.
Creating a New Spending Stream
Unlike the claims made by voucher proponents, the program does not merely shift funds from public to private schools. Instead, it has introduced a completely new stream of taxpayer spending. Most students participating in the program were never enrolled in public schools to begin with. This means Arizona taxpayers are now subsidizing private education for affluent families without any offsetting reduction in public school costs.
Budget Crisis in Arizona
The financial strain of this program is evident as Arizona faces a $1.4 billion budget deficit. This deficit, coupled with the ballooning cost of the voucher system, raises serious concerns about the state’s ability to fund public education adequately in the future.
A Lesson for Idaho
Here in Idaho, our situation is different but still worth examining. Over the past four years, Idaho has implemented four tax cuts, primarily funded by a temporary budget surplus that included federal pandemic relief. While these tax cuts may benefit Idaho residents in the short term, they don’t provide a reliable foundation for long-term financial stability.
Idaho’s rural schools are already struggling with aging infrastructure, teacher shortages, and limited housing for educators. If Idaho were to adopt a similar voucher program, it would add another expense to an already strained education budget. Currently, Idaho ranks 49th in the nation for per-student spending—an alarming statistic that suggests the state is already falling behind in funding its public schools.
Do Vouchers Promote Competition or Create Inequality?
Voucher advocates argue that these programs encourage healthy competition between public and private schools. But in reality, this competition often leaves public schools at a disadvantage. Without sufficient funding, public schools are forced to cut programs and resources, making it even harder for them to compete.
To put it simply: Do we really want winners and losers in education? Every child deserves access to quality education, regardless of where they live or their family’s income level. When public schools lose funding to voucher programs, it’s the students in those schools who ultimately pay the price.
The Bigger Picture
The Arizona voucher program is a cautionary tale for states considering similar initiatives. While the program may seem like a way to empower families, it has created significant financial inequities and added to the state’s budget woes.
Idaho and other states must carefully weigh the potential long-term consequences of voucher programs. Rather than creating a system where only some students thrive, we should focus on strengthening public education for all.
About the Author
Dr. Paula Kellerer is the president and CEO of Idaho Business for Education. She previously served as the superintendent of the Nampa School District from 2017 to 2022.
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